Higurashi When They Cry

I came across this series online recently and was interested in watching the anime, so I wanted to see if anyone else has seen it? Wanted to get some impressions, as well as confirmation really to how brutal it is (Heard conflicting things)

Yeah this is a series I have love for. There are 2 seasons (the second subtitled Kai) that make up the story, based on the original 8 episodic releases of the PC sound novels. I've watched both seasons and played the first game, so I'm a pretty big fan.

Also, if you like this series, the spiritual sequel is Umineko no Naku Koro Ni, which has one season of anime based on the first half of the 8 episodic releases of the PC sound novel series. I've played half the games and they're real good reading but the anime condenses them vastly and professionally.

To anyone interested in the games I can tell you more about where to get them and how to get the English translation patch, all legally.

But how brutal is it? My friend (Someone who's really into Anime) said that he didn't enjoy it because of that, although he did say it was tolerable

Well it's hard to say, there are certain episodes that are pretty brutal. Namely someone bashing two other persons with a bat and someone stabbing themselves to death. The gory scenes don't last too long, but are intense. Also season one is a lot more gory, especially the first two arcs. Season two is pretty tame.

I also read the first arc of the visual novel and I thought it was more creepy than the anime. I think part of the reason is that it's taking place in first person rather than third person, which is a bit more detached, and a certain scene that never happened in the anime that I thought was rather creepy. And the words used to describe some of the gory scenes are worse than what the anime shows (i.e. the phone booth at the end of the first arc is all you see, whereas the VN actually describes what happens, which grossed me out a bit).

Anyway, it's a pretty good series and I don't think the gore should be too intense to warrant not watching it, unless one really dislikes it.

Sora did a good job answering your question. There are some pretty gory scenes for an anime (its rated TV-MA in the US, kind of an "R" for TV) but they are spaced out and are warranted and/or end when they should. There's only one scene that bothered me, which has to do with finger torture.

Emotionally, there was a scene that REALLY got me in Season 2, although that was because it was incredibly unexpected more than it was overly violent. The "broccoli" scene

Thanks for the detailed responses guys. I'm not a fan of gore in all honesty but it is tolerable to me in some quantities so I'll give this series a try and see how it goes.

Adminassassin wrote:There's only one scene that bothered me, which has to do with finger torture.

How odd. That's actually the scene that bothered me the most too. Probably because of all the talk leading up to it and the VA's screams. It's funny, you don't see anything (well of the actual torture), yet the description and the screams are more than enough to disturb you. I wonder how that scene fares in the VN....I really need to pick up the rest of Higurashi. By the way Admin, did you read MangaGamer's translation? How did you find it. I found chapter one a little on the choppy side but not too bad overall. I'm willing to support them and hope Umineko gets brought over next. Shoujo no Kara has my interest too (hope the gore isn't over the top). I hear that's one of the better VNs (just letting anyone know if they don't already, this one has h-scenes).

Terra wrote:Thanks for the detailed responses guys. I'm not a fan of gore in all honesty but it is tolerable to me in some quantities so I'll give this series a try and see how it goes.

I'm not really a fan of gore either and I really hate stuff, especially games, that has senseless gore or tries to be funny through gore. It just disturbs me because I don't find people getting killed in an over the top fashion funny at all. I don't mind gore if it is used properly (i.e. as a proper plot device in say a murder mystery or as a vehicle for some sort of moral lesson. I guess what I mean to say is that if gore shows the pain and suffering of the one who endures it in a humanizing way, I am not against it because it is part of the human experience) and I think Higurashi does it right. It's not excessive but what you do have is intense and with purpose. Also I think for me watching an anime is more detached so I don't get as bothered by it as if I were playing a game where I control the character that engages in violating others.

Sora, I played the itouch version which is based on the MangaGamer version. It was decent but I preferred the anime tbqh.

Umineko can be played NOW in English, by buying the Japanese version (either via download or import) and using the English Patch found here: witch-hunt.com
You can buy episode 4 (which comes with 1-4) and the newly released Episode 8 (which comes with 5- and get the whole series for ~$USD50 (and that's about 50 hrs of content!!)

The English Patch is being done with the creator's blessing and they are over 50% done with Episode 8. I used this method for 1-4 and had no problems, it lasted me months. I will get Episode 8 when they finish translating sometime this summer/year.

50$ US, that's actually a pretty good price. What site did you get them from? I'm going to have to look into these after the move. :3

soaring_wings wrote:50$ US, that's actually a pretty good price. What site did you get them from? I'm going to have to look into these after the move. :3

The fan-translation site is the one I listed above, witch-hunt.com and that where you get the English patches free. They have links there to where you can buy the series either via download or import.

Adminassassin wrote:

soaring_wings wrote:50$ US, that's actually a pretty good price. What site did you get them from? I'm going to have to look into these after the move. :3

The fan-translation site is the one I listed above, witch-hunt.com and that where you get the English patches free. They have links there to where you can buy the series either via download or import.

Ok, thanks admin. I will check it out.

Just watched the first two episodes at last.

Episode 1 threw me at first, didn't expect it to be as "light" at first but Episode 2 had me hooked all the way, was enjoying it quite a lot. as me tempted to look up how things continue on the Wiki but I can resist. Will watch some more tomorrow

The story arcs are usually only 4-5 episodes, so tryto watch them in one sitting if possible.

I've watched that first arc now but going from the events of episode 4 to what's happening in Episode 5, I am rather confused by the story.

Spoiler:

Think of it like my novel (because I borrowed some elements.) Each time a story arc begins, it often ignores most/all of what happened in the previous one(s) while telling you something new or elaborating.

Adminassassin wrote:Think of it like my novel (because I borrowed some elements.) Each time a story arc begins, it often ignores most/all of what happened in the previous one(s) while telling you something new or elaborating.

This pretty much. It confused me at first too. Season 2 explains everything so there is going to be light shed on why this happens.

Ah right, I see what it's doing now. It's an interesting concept but yes, definitely confusing at first.

I'm glad they give some explanation for what happens in season 2, although I may have gotten a hint about that as when I watched what I thought was "Episode 13" but turned out to be from season 2 thanks to some idiot messing up on the site I've been watching from


Managed to find the real episode 13 eventually though but stopped for the day afterwards.

Alright, finished another 2 arcs. I've reached episode 22 now, will start that tomorrow

Finished series 1, might watch Afro samurai before I get into series 2. I'm enjoying this quite a lot so far and things are slowly beginning to make more sense

Terra wrote:Finished series 1, might watch Afro samurai before I get into series 2. I'm enjoying this quite a lot so far and things are slowly beginning to make more sense

Good to hear~
I enjoyed season two more because of the explanations but the ending was a little on the corny side but still good. :3

Fair enough, I can handle corny. Isn't there a 3rd series as well?

Theres a 4 (or so) episode OVA called Rei. I'd skip it. It's arguably not canon and I thought it was dumb.

Oh right. I'll probably still watch it out of curiosity but disappointing to hear that.

Started watching series 2 now, after a quick break with Afro Samurai in between. I'm starting to wonder *Potential Spoilers*

Spoiler:

. I dunno....

EDIT: Anyone know where I can buy the DVD's at a reasonable price? Everywhere I look seems to be either potentially dodgy sounding copies (Region 0 from Singapore... you get the idea) or ridiculously expensive.

Finished watching Kai now and I bought the first arc on the iPhone, although I do prefer the anime so far. I Thought that was an excellent conclusion to Kai and I'm sad to see it properly stop there but all good things must come to an end I suppose. Well, I'll still watch Rei (Saw the 1st episode, could not stop laughing xD) and the new series, Kira.

After that, I'll probably move onto the more recent Umineko No Naku Koro Ni. I do wonder though whether the anime covers both halves of the story, since I noticed there's only been 1 series at the moment.